Splice for lead-armored cables.



H. T. WHALER.

SPLlCE FOR LEAD ARMORED CABLES.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 15. 1913.

1 1 42,2 1 3 Patented June 8, 1915.

' ATTORNEY .UNITED STATES PATENT oE-EmE.

HERBERT THOMPSON *W'HALER, OF MIAMI, FLORIDA i SPLIGEIOE LEAD-ABMOREDCABLES.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that'I, HERBERT T. WHALER, a subject of the King of GreatBritain, residing at Miami, in the county of'Dade and .State of Florida,have invented a new' and ployment' of ordinary wiped joints at: theirentrances, while the conductors are readily joined and are at all timesaccessible without molesting the wiper joints or-injuring the splice orcable in any way.

In accordance with-thepresent invention there is provided a-splice orjoint member usually of lead-to which the correspondingv ends of thecable sections'may be connected by wiped joints and at an intermediate]o1nt the splice is formed with a neck to which isapplied' a hard metal,say, a brass collar, having strap extensions in embracing relation tothe portion of the splice remote from the neck and collar, and thecollar is so arranged as to receive an elongated ca constituting'areceptacle for the connecte ends of the conductors or strands of thecable.

The invention will be best. understood from a' consideration of thefollowing detailed description, taken in connection with the,accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, with thefurther under.- standing that while the drawings show a practicalembodiment of the invention, the

latter is not confinedto any strict conformity with the showingof thedrawings, but may be changed and modified so long as such changes andmodifications mark no material departure from the salient features oftheinvention.

In the drawings:Figure 1 1s a view partly in elevation and partly insection showing the improved cable splice. Fig; 2.

is an end view of the cable splice with the cable andcap member orreceptacle omitted.

. Fig. 3 is a bottom end view of the cap mem- 50 asplice'having a bodymemberl which may be of appropriate length and of generally.-cylindrical form and at. an intermediate Specification of LettersPatent.

Patented June 8, 1915.

ade filed Noveinber 15, 1913. Serial No. 801.216.

point this body member 1 is formed with a neck 2 outstanding laterallytherefrom...

In Fig. 1 there is shown the ends of cable sections 3 which as iscustomary are" made upI of a bundle of insulated conductors about w ichthere is a sheath, and it is the purpose of the splice 1 to connect theadjacent ends of cable-members 3 so that a practically continuous cableof any suitablelength may be produced from cables the lengths of whichare limited by the exigencies of. manufacture.

In order to unite the ends of the cable sections 3 they are introduced.into the corresponding ends of the body member 1, which latter may be.then condensed'about the cable ends and united tothe sheaths-thereof bywiped joints 4, the body member 1 ofthesplice being of lead likethe'sheaths of the cable sections 3.

Applied about the neck-2 is a collar 5 usually of brassor some othersuitable hard metal, and this collar has an axial extension 6 internallyscrew threaded and'interior to the screw threaded portion the collar isformed with a circumferential groove 7 bordered on the insidebyanupstanding flange 8, that is, the flange is substantially concentricwith the axially extended portion 6. The groove 7 is designed'to receivea packing ring or gasket 9.

Formed on or secured to the collar 5'are straps 10 together of a lengthto embrace the body member 1, so that their ends come together wherethey may be soldered as indi-' cated at 11, thus strengthening the unionbetween the collar 5. and the body member 1.

Adapted to the threaded extension 6 of the collar 5 is an exteriorlythreadedring 12- provided. at one end with an outstanding flange 13, andthis ring is of a size to fit into the collar 5 with the screw threadsinengagement. The ring 12 is applied exteriorly to an elongated tubularreceptacle 14 having the end remote from the ring closed, usa'in'dicated at 15, while the other end isturned over the corresponding endofthe ring 12, as indicated at 16, the ring being soldered to thereceptacle 14 or otherwise securedthereto, so that there is a strongunion produced, and the ring 12 becomes effectively. part'of thereceptacle 14, both the ring and, receptacle being made of some suchmaterial as brass, but not of necessity limited to brass. The interiorof the receptacle 14 is provided; witha-lining 16'ofinsulatingmaterial-I j The flange 13 may be conveniently provided with notches 17 for theapplication of a spanner or other tool, whereby the ring with thereceptacle 14 may be screwed into the neck 5 and in order to avoidstrain upon the body member 1 the neck 5 may be con- Vfiniently providedwith outstanding pins 18 approj iriately distributed for the applicationof a suitable tool.

When the ring 12 is screwed into the collar 5 it ultimately engages thewasher 9, thus producing an air tight joint, while the washer isprevented from spreading by reason of'the flange 8, which latter alsoserves as a shoulder for the corresponding end of the neck 2.

The cables 3 may consist of a large number of electric conductors 19,each appropriately insulated, as indicated at 20. The sheathing at theends of the cable is so cut off as to expose appropriate lengths of theends of the conductors 19 with other insulating covering 20, whichlatter, as is customary, is removed from the extreme ends of theconductors, so that appropriate conductors of one cable may be joined toappropriate conductors of the other, cable, as indicated in Fig. l, and'the joined parts are carried beyond the neck 2 and when the cap orreceptacle 14 is screwed into lace become housed therein, and thesejoine ends of the conductors properly protected from contact as'bytaping or otherwise, are relieved from all strain and may, moreover, bereadily accessible at all times for inspection, since it is onlynecessary to unscrew the cap 14: to expose all of the conductors toview.

The splice with the receptacle 14 forms an air tight junction thusthoroughly protecting the ends of the conductors where joined, withoutthe necessity of embedding the conductors in insulating material to thusmake it difficult to reach them. With the present invention inspectionand testing is greatly. facilitated, and changes may be made in theconnections, the opening and closing of the splice after once installedrequiring merely a pair of special spanners with the particulararrangement shown, but even this may be avoided by any other toolreceiving construction which may be desired.

By having the cable ends to. be joined enter the armor of the splice inline one with the other and using wiped joints to connect the armor ofthe splice to the. armor of the cable, such splice will stand as .muchtensile strain and vibration as other parts offthe cable sheath.

The cable splice of the present invention is particularly valuable incases where a submarine cable is joined to an aerial on bridges,

for in such instances the joint is subjected to almost constantvibration due to traffic on the bridge.

'- The cable joint of the present invention is of such a simple naturethat the cable splicer does not have to learn to make new and difficultjoints as occurs with other types in use.

In making up a splice there is no danger of getting it wet by rain,since the ends of the cable need not be unsealed until after thejolnlsare wiped, and then should it transpire that rain occursalftertlie armor has been stripped oil the ends of the cable, all that isnecessary is to screw the receptacle into place and the splice isperfectly protected against the effects of the rain.

- What is claimed is 1. A splice for lead armored cables, comprising abody member of soft metal having an intermediate side neck integraltherewith, and a separately formed collar surrounding the neck andprovided with means embracing the body member opposite the neck to holdthe collar to the body member independently of the neck.

2. A splice for lead armored cables, comprising an elongated continuousbody member of soft metal with the ends adapted to receive and be unitedby wiped joints to the ends of the cable, said body member having anintermediate laterally projecting neck integral therewith, a separatelyformed collar secured to the body member and encircling the neck andprovided with interior screw threads and with a gasket-receivin grooveat the base of the screw threads, an

member having an open end provided with a threaded ring adapted tothethreaded portion of the collar and to engage a gasket seated in thegasket receiving groove, that portion of the collar interior to thegroove being formed into a flange immediately engaging the neck of thebody member and constituting an abutment for a gasket seated in thegasket. I

4:. In a splice for lead armored cables, an elongated soft metal bodymember shaped at the ends to receive corresponding ends of the cable andto be united thereto, and said body member'having an intermediate sideneck integral therewith, and a separately formed cap-receiving collarsurrounding the neck and provided with straps for embracing the bodymember to hold the collar in surrounding relation to the side neck.

groove to prevent spreading of said 5. A splice for lead armored cablecomprising an elongated body member of like material to the cable armor.and shaped at the'ends to receive corresponding ends of the cable, andsaid body member having an intermediate side neck integral therewith, aseparately formed collar surrounding the neck and provided with strapsadapted to embrace the body member, and a cap member adapted to thecollar for closing the side neck of the splice, the cap member andcollar being provided with means for the application of a tool.

6. A splice for lead armored cable comprising an elongated body memberhaving an integral side neck, and composed of a relatively soft andpliable metal, a separately formed collar surrounding the neck andprovided with straps for embracing the body member, said collar andstraps being formed of a relatively hard and rigid metal and anelongated cap member adapted to the collar, said cap member and collarbeing coactively constructed to permit the cap member to be applied toand removed from the collar, at Wlll. 1

7. A splice for lead armored cable comprising an elon ated body memberof relatively soft meta ada ted to receive the ends of cables to bejoine and said body member having an intermediate side neck, aseparately formed reinforcing collar of relatively hard metal secured tothe body member about the side neck, and an elongated cap member havingmeans, for its attachment to the collar,-independent of the neck.

v 8; A splice for lead armored cables comprising an elongated bodymember shaped at the ends to receive corres onding ends of the cable andto be secured tiiereto, and at an intermediatepoint provided with alaterally extended neck, a separately formed collar applied to the neckand provided with straps adapted to encircle the body member between itsends, said collar being internally screw threaded and having at the baseof the screw threads a gasket receiving groove with an interior flangeforming one wall of the groove, and a cap member closed at one end andat the other end surrounded by a ring fast thereto and rovided withexterior screw threads adapted to the interior screw threads of thecollar, the cap member having an interior lining of insulating material.

9. A splice for lead armored cables comprising an elongated body membershaped at the ends to receive corresponding ends of the cable and to besecured thereto, and at an intermediate point provided with a laterallyextended neck, a separately formed collar applied to the neck andprovided with straps adapted to encircle the body member between itsends, said collar being internally screw threaded and having at the baseof the screw threads a gasket receiving groove with an interior flangeforming'one wall of the groove, and a cap member closed at one end andat the other end surrounded by a ring fast thereto and provided withexterior screw threads adapted to the interior screw threads of thecollar, the cap member having an interior lining of insulating material,and both the collar and the ring of the cap member being shaped for theapplication of manipulating tools.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have heretoafiixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

. HERBERT THOMPSON WHALER.

Witnesses:

ROGER N. DANIELS, CHAs. MILLS TERRELL.

